I'll Never Leave You
by neverlandisaplacefaraway
Summary: Set during Mockingjay. Haymitch finds Effie and shows his true feelings. Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.
1. Chapter 1

Haymitch carried her through the halls of President Snow's elaborate manor, only stopping to look down at the frail body that he is carrying. She is nothing but skin and bone. Her hair falls in greasy tendrils that stick to Haymitch's arms. Her ice blue eyes are wide open, but not aware of their surroundings. They simply stare into the space in front. She is clasping onto Haymitch's neck, not letting go. Never letting go ever again.

This moment reminds Haymitch of the last time he had seen Effie Trinket. How she had looked into his eyes pleading him to stay alive for her. He hated looking into that expression of pure fear. Effie wanted to live, but she wanted Haymitch to live even more. It was at that moment that they shared a stolen kiss. Where Effie had wrapped her arms around his neck and buried herself deep inside his kiss. It lasted a few seconds before they heard the pounding on the door. It was time for Haymitch to leave. Time for him to venture away from the Capitol. Away from her.

Haymitch reaches a door to a spare bedroom. Kicking the door down and rushing through the open space, he gently lays Effie Trinket's shaking body onto the soft bed. It is here that he gets a good look at what her own people have done to her. Her body is dangerously thin, and covered in a mere shred of fabric. Her body is littered with fresh cuts and bruises. Her hair that was once forever placed in an eccentric wig is falling down her back. It looks worse than Haymitch's hair, and he knows that it will bother her. She looks up at him with wide eyes. He looks at her fighting back tears that are threatening to spill over. Taking her hand in his he sees her finch slightly but then relaxes into his warm touch.

She looks him in the eye before whispering the words,

"Thank you, Haymitch." Haymitch looks at her and nearly chokes on his own tears as he sees the river of tears cascade down her face.

"I'm so sorry Effie. I should have come and got you. I should have kept you safe." He says as he pulls back the tears and focuses on the job at hand. He was not drunk. He knows what he has to do. However seeing that beautiful face altered into one of fear and emptiness; it takes all his effort not to run for a whiskey bottle and drink away all the nightmares that were about to unfold. He wants Effie back, the bright and bubbly persona. Who even though she was annoying and sometimes he wanted her to leave him be, he felt empty if she was gone for too long. As if a part of him was missing.

"You did what you had to do. I wasn't the person who came first in this war. I understand Haymitch." Effie says as she sees the pain illuminating in Haymitch's eyes.

"It still doesn't make it right. I should have found you." Haymitch states before looking swiftly away from the blue eyes, which fill his soul and stopped the emptiness. He'd missed those eyes.

"Haymitch, the only thing that matters is that you're here with me now. Please…don't ever leave me again-" That was all it took for Haymitch to crash his lips against hers and pull her frail body closer to his. He was gentle and caring. Respecting her injuries, but still showing his desperate need for her. She returned the kiss, showing equal need for his warm touch.

When they both pulled away from each other Haymitch pressed his forehead against hers .Before uttering the words,

"I will never leave you."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Thank you to those who reviewed. I'm not sure how this chapters turned out, but I hope you like it x

Haymitch walks into the make-shift hospital room in President Snow's mansion. She had been too frail and ill to move to an actual hospital. As he walks in he sees Effie Trinket with her normal golden hair resting on her shoulders. They had cleaned her up and wiped away any trace of the crusting blood that had been covering her body, on seeing that she was asleep and silently crept around her bed to the chair that was placed next to it.

Sitting down he placed her dainty had within his own, gently caressing her hand with his own calloused thumb while watching her face. Her beautiful face. He couldn't help but ask himself why she constantly covered her real complexion with pasty white make-up and bright bursts of pink. She was naturally pretty; her lips were a perfect shape by themselves, without any need for bright pink lipstick. Her hair was a beautiful shade of blonde which hung in natural waves; she did not need the garish coloured wig. She did not need the Capitol.

The Capitol had got her nowhere. They bought her up within a lie, she never understood the problems outside her extravagant lifestyle. They had given her the job of sending children to their death. Making her connect with these children, become attached to them; and then watch them be brutally killed. Each year she became more aware of the secret darkness that surrounded the Capitol. Each year she grew to hate the President and what he forced those children to endure. She had become a rebel. Haymitch was proud of everything that she was behind the fake hair and painted on smile. He loved her.

At this thought her eyes began to flicker open. Allowing her eyes to adjust to the bright light, she turned her head slightly. When her eyes met his she let a smile illuminate her face.

"Hello." She croaked, as she gently pushed herself up.

"Don't strain yourself. I don't mind if you stay lying down." Haymitch said as he lightly placed his hand on her shoulder. She let her body slide back down onto the soft mattress. Haymitch lightly stroked her cheek while smiling at her.

"You're getting better." Haymitch said "You should be well enough to help with the preparations for Snow's execution"

"You think so." Effie replied "I'd love to help, I could sort out the schedule if you want-" Haymitch cut her off with a light kiss on her pale lips. She kissed him back, letting one of her scarred hands rest on his face. Even when they stopped they continued to look into each other's eyes, measuring their happiness.

"I've never been as happy as I am in this moment" Effie said "You're the only person I want to be with."

Haymitch placed his lips upon hers one more time.

"I love you, Effie. I will never leave you again. Promise me that you'll get better, promise me that you'll stay with me." Haymitch said to her while resting his forehead on Effie's.

"For you, I'll get better." Effie stated before pulling him back into a kiss. The kiss escalated quickly. It started off as a light kiss that simply showed the growing adoration between the pair. The pair become more intense, the years of built up passion over spilling into this one perfect moment. They were together. Finally they were able to show each other their true feelings without the shadow of The Capitol looming over them. They were free of the troubles that the Capitol had brought. The rebellion was over for them, they had what they needed.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know it took a while, but exams are a killer. I hope you like this chapter; I enjoyed writing it. Please review. Thanks guys**

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Haymitch stood at the edge of the room as he watched the medic's crowd round Effie Trinket's frail body. Her breath came out in stagnant whimpers. An oxygen tube was connected to her giving her the right amount of air that she needed in order to survive. She'd been ready to leave. Ready to go back to her life, when she'd become sick. The doctor's assumed that it must have been an infection that she caught. The doctor had said that she would be better in a few days. A week later she's still in a critical condition, her immune system failing. They've had to result to feeding her through a tube.

Haymitch spends his days in a drunken haze. He does not allow himself to show any emotion for the circumstance that his former partner is in. He hides behind the whiskey bottle that even now is precariously placed in his hand. Seeing her weak and fragile once more made Haymitch run away from the building where Snow had tortured her. Haymitch had run straight to the first bar he could find, he'd stayed there for hours on end, drinking away the troubles that surrounded him. On his return to the bedroom that Effie Trinket now occupied he collapsed on the floor.

He is still hung over even now. The medics are giving Effie her daily dose of pain killers and antibiotics. She can no longer fend for herself. He stares hopelessly at her body, her chest rises in stagnant breaths. He continues to stare, while he takes her hand in his. He slowly presses his lips to her hand and whispers the words "I'm sorry.

He knows it's not his fault; it was just an unfortunate occurrence that Effie contracted the infection. The medics had said she would get better, but Haymitch still blamed himself. If he hadn't left her the day that Katniss blew up the arena. He knew it would happen that day so why did he leave her? It's something that he will regret for the rest of his life, especially after finding her beaten and bloodied in Snow's mansion.

"Please get better, Effie. I can't lose you not again." Haymitch pleaded. He began to sob; the medics shifted uncomfortably and left the room, leaving Haymitch alone with Effie. Haymitch sobbed for what seemed like and age, clutching Effie's hand in desperation.

"Please just don't leave me." Haymitch said "I love you; yeah you annoyed me at first with your high pitched capitol accent, and your insistence on table manners. You annoyed me, but I couldn't help but like you. Every year when we sent kids off to their deaths we would sit in that apartment; we'd watch the TV screen waiting for the inevitable. The first year was the worst, you didn't know what to expect and you cried. I didn't know what to do, I hardly knew you. But I gave you that awkward hug, and you hugged me back. For the next few years that was how it happened, you'd cry, I'd hug you. But do you remember that year Effie? When our male tribute got down to the final 5. We had a chance, we held hands that whole night watching the screen, waiting. When he was killed we both were devastated but proud at the same time. You cried and we hugged, but we stayed like that for the whole night. Your head on my shoulder; my arm around you. That's the moment I really started to fall in love with you. That's the memory I'm going to keep." Haymitch rested his head on her hands.

"I told you I'd never leave you, and I won't ever let you go.


End file.
